Motor fore-carriage for vehicles.



E. VIGUIE .ai R. G. FORGET. MOTOR FORE GARRIAGE FOR VEHICLES. AAP'PLIOAITION FILED JULY 22. 1908.

Patented 01;.26,19o9.l

- 4SHBETS-BHEBT 1. @-1

E. VIGUIE & R. G. FORGET. MOTOR EORE CARRIAGE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22. 1908:

' Patented 0013.26', 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n II 'Il Y E. VIGUIM R. a. FORGET. MOTOR FOBE CARRIAGE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIQATION FILED JULY 22.1998. l

Patented 0012. 26, 1909. 4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

WlTNEESES E. VIG-UIE 81; R. G. FORGET. MOTOR FORE CARRIAGE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2z. 190s.

938,094. Patented 001;. 26, 1909,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

5 MTURNEY' To .all whom 'it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE VIGUIE AND ROBERT GUSTAVE FORGET, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

Moron rena-canaliser. For, vEnIcLns.

Specification of Letters latent. .Patented Oct, ,'26,y 1909, p Application `ined 22, 1998. .a Serial No. 414.4.,7'21.V

Beit lmown that we, EMILE'VIGIJTE and ROBERT GUsTAvE FORGET, citizens of the Republicof France, and residents of Paris,

France, have invented a n'ew and useful 'i Motor Fore-Carriage for Vehicles, which is fully set forth in the following specification. This invention relates'to an inde endent motor fore-carriage device adapte .to be used in connection with vehicles of allkinds and more particularly as hereinafter described in connection with hackney carriages, private carriages,y light delivery vans and similar vehicles. I V

The device takes the place of the vusual fore-carriage for the purpose of substituting mechanical traction for animal traction while keeping thesame coachwork and the general 'arrangement of the vehicle. The constructionA of the motory fore-carriage hereinafter described is chiefly characterized by amethod of attachment enabling the wheels to rise and descend without aecting the drivers seat. r[The motor fore-carriage can have three as well as four wheels,

' two of which'would be the driving andlthe two others the steering'wheels, the steering move- 4ment ofthe latter .being obtainedfrom the box seat b means of a device similar to that,

.used in or 'nary motor vehicles. This latterv 4device is more particularly applicable' to delivery carts, vans and vother vehicles of comparatively increased weight. l .v

Two constructions of hemotor fore-carriage according tothis invention are illustratedby way of yexample in the accompanyisa side elevation. Fig'.` 5 is a plan view'.

'ingF drawings. Y A

'front of a hackney carriage of the victoria type; Fig.'1l is a fragmentary top plan Viewl of the means for attaching the motor fore-carriage to the vehicle, Fig. 2 is a sectiono'nline 2- 2 of Fig. 11, Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Figs. 4 and -5 show a construction with four wheels, Fig. 4

The machine (Fi s. ,1-3) consists of'a frame made of tu es or sectional Steel" girders connected in the most suitable pr'.

approved form in order Vto enable the different parts of the' device to be secured in their normal p ositions. -It will be suilicient to describe the tubular frame shownin Fig.'

' 1 in which the upper portion a is 'provided with a rim 7 intendedfor securin the motor fore-carriage. to the vehicle. ortion a, is connected to4 the lower portion, constituted of twostepped 'parts b and b', by tubes 0. To the tubes b and `b are secured Vthe wheels, the motor, the change speed gear box and all the driving parts and accessories of the mechanism. Two wheels e, the steering wheels, are mounted on the frame by the usual means. They are moved-by a' hand wheel and" arranged infront of the box seat. A steering gear controlled by thehand wheel f moves the wheels e in the de-v sired direction. A third wheel j arranged at the -backof the chassis driven by the engine bymeans of a chain'k and s rocket wheels Z and Z. The wheel j can e provided with twopneumatic or solid tires in order to avoid sliding or skidding. Any type of motor can be used, it lbeingl secured to the fra'me at m. The change s eed gear box arranged. at nat 90 relative yto the engine shaft, is 'suitably connected to the latter. The starting of the car is obtained' by pressing with ythe foot on the pedal 1' which by means of the rods s 'and s and the-fork t causes movement of the clutch u.

The method of attaching the motor forecarriag'e will be now explained. By reference to the' carriage shown'in Fig. 1, it will be seen that to the drivers footboard is securedat several points an inner rim 1, resting'by means of av'series of spaced flanges 2 'on a second rim 53 providedwith a series A9 para el to thev axis of the wheels of the motor fore-carriage; that is to say, normally Arms 12 secured below t e rim 3, support at the center of the device, the Whole steering ap aratus constituted of the hand wheel to the trunnions 5 and 6 supporting the'rim and ot er accessories. Owing to the movel ment made bythe rims 3 and'7 about the vtrunnions 5 and 6, 8e and 9, any of the three wheels of the motor fore-carriage can rise or descend without thereby affecting the drivers Seat. j

The inotor fore-carriage in the construction shown in Figs. 4 5 -has the general arrangement previously described for securing the device to the body of the vehicle and comprises four wheels; two supporting and driving wheels j and two steering wheels e arranged, as in ordinary motor cars, at a i distance from thel driving wheels.

' frame can be made of tubes or sectional iron.

The

The motor may be vertical, inclined or horizontal. The means for guiding the steering wheels is similar to that existing in ordinary motor vehicles, and forms no part of the. present invention.

What is claimed is: Y. l. In a motor fore-carriage, for connection with a vehicle body,in combination withv a Wheeled frame, an outer rim, triinnions for securing said rim to said frame, a second rim, trunnions secured to said second rim and to said outer riin at right angles to said first trunnions, an inner rim having a series of spaced flanges which overlie and engage said second rim, a series of spaced bosses on the second rim which engage said inner rim,

and nieans for securing said inner rim to the vehicle body, the second rim being turnable with respect to the inner rim.

2. In a motor fore-carriage for connection with a vehicle body, `in combination with `a wheeled frame, an outer rim, trunnions forsecuring said rim to said frame, ak

second rim, said bosses being for engagementv withv the periphery of the inner rim, yand means for securing the inner rim to the ve hiclexbody, the second rim being turiiablefwith respect to the inner rim.

' In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribL ing Witnesses.

EMILE viGUiE. ROBERT eUsTAvE EoEeE'r.

W itneses EMILE LEDRET,

I-I. C'. CoXE. 

